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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

RMQA team meet on developing a more robust risk management strategy at IRRI

The Risk Management Quality Assurance (RMQA) team convened to discuss a comprehensive approach for preventing the occurrence and reducing the impact of hazardous events at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Spearheaded by RMQA Senior Manager Menchu Bernardo, the 33-member team formed the steering committee for the 1st Safety Awareness Summit at IRRI HQ to be held in August. The summit aims to promote safety in the workplace through lectures on ergonomics, emergency and disaster preparedness, biosafety compliance, general waste management, and best field and laboratory safety practices. The RMQA team also discussed the documentation standard operating procedure for all units where all documents will be uploaded in a common repository as part of IRRI’s Quality Management System (QMS).

Jose Luis of the Safety and Security Services presented a plan for assessing and reviewing existing safety practices used at IRRI’s laboratories, greenhouse, screenhouse, and offices in compliance with the Board-approved Occupational Health and Safety Policy. Reah Gonzales of the Grain Quality and Nutrition Services Laboratory (GQNSL ) also shared their experience in developing QMS and SOP documentation as part of the successful renewal of the laboratories ISO 17025 accreditation.

The new members of RMQA were also introduced during the worskshop and meeting on 19 May at the IRRI Guest House. They include Francis Rubianes from Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, Cindy Llorente from GQNSL, Janet Lazarte from Human Resource Services, Fernando Artates from Financial Planning and Reporting, and Jun Correa from Experiment Station (ES).

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